A Complete Guide to Canna Cultivation and Propagation
Canna is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant of the family Cannaceae, with fleshy rhizomes and fibrous roots scattered around the nodes of the rhizome. The plant grows 50-100 cm tall. Its green or reddish-brown leaves resemble those of the banana plant and carry a slight white powdery bloom. Its extremely showy large flowers open like lotus blossoms
Some original species of Canna are mostly native to the tropics of the Americas, Africa and Asia. The origin of the large-flowered canna cultivated in courtyards is unknown and it may be a hybrid. It is vigorous and not particular about soil, but fears strong wind and frost damage. It prefers moist, well-drained, fertile and deep loam, and a sunny and warm climate.
Canna is propagated by dividing the rhizomes. In early April, separate the old rhizomes so that each piece has 1-3 buds, and plant them at a depth of about 8-10 cm with a spacing of about 60-80 cm between plants and rows. Before flowering, apply 1-2 rounds of fertilized water. For potted plants, a nutrient-rich potting soil is best. During the growing period, pay attention to applying plenty of topdressing and keep the soil loose and moist at all times, and the plants will grow luxuriantly with many flowers and a long flowering period.
Cultivation and Propagation Methods for Canna
Canna is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant of the family Cannaceae, with fleshy rhizomes and fibrous roots scattered around the nodes of the rhizome. The plant grows 50-100 cm tall. Its green or reddish-brown leaves resemble those of the banana plant and carry a slight white powdery bloom. Its extremely showy large flowers open like lotus blossoms, with varieties in deep red, bright yellow, creamy white, flesh pink and variegated patterns. The capsule has a rough outer skin, and the seeds are black and nearly round, but in North China they mostly fail to develop and mature. The flowering period is from May to October. Canna is an important foliage and flowering plant in courtyards both north and south in China, often planted in clumps or rows to form flower hedges, or set in the center of flower beds. Its glossy green, huge leaves and its bright, beautiful large flower spikes rising above the stem tips draw people to admire it with their tenacious, upright and vigorous bearing. The dwarf varieties are best suited for potted decoration.Some original species of Canna are mostly native to the tropics of the Americas, Africa and Asia. The origin of the large-flowered canna cultivated in courtyards is unknown and it may be a hybrid. It is vigorous and not particular about soil, but fears strong wind and frost damage. It prefers moist, well-drained, fertile and deep loam, and a sunny and warm climate.
Canna is propagated by dividing the rhizomes. In early April, separate the old rhizomes so that each piece has 1-3 buds, and plant them at a depth of about 8-10 cm with a spacing of about 60-80 cm between plants and rows. Before flowering, apply 1-2 rounds of fertilized water. For potted plants, a nutrient-rich potting soil is best. During the growing period, pay attention to applying plenty of topdressing and keep the soil loose and moist at all times, and the plants will grow luxuriantly with many flowers and a long flowering period. If you wish to enjoy the beauty of canna flowers at "May Day", take out the rhizomes in December, clean and trim away rotten stems and leaves, bury the robust and plump rhizomes in sand, and place them in a sunny spot at a temperature of around 25 degrees, spraying water frequently, and they will sprout before long. Then select healthy, good buds and plant every 3-4 buds into a pot about 25 cm in diameter, and cultivate them in a hot, sunny place, and they will flower in time to welcome "May Day". You can also pot the rhizomes in summer (June to July) for potted display at "National Day".
Whether you want early or late flowering, when potting you should apply plenty of base fertilizer, and topdressing before flowering is even more indispensable.
In the deep autumn of the north, after the flowers and leaves have withered and turned yellow, dig out the rhizomes, dry them slightly in the sun, bury them in sandy soil, and store them indoors where it does not freeze, or bury them in a sunny spot in the courtyard in soil that will not freeze. Check two or three times in winter to prevent moisture, heat, frost damage, or excessive dryness that would cause the rhizomes to shrivel. South of the Yangtze River basin, there is no need to dig out the rhizomes in winter; wait until new buds emerge in spring, then dig them out and divide them for replanting.
To breed new varieties, seed propagation can be used. In early April, before sowing, use a small awl or file to break the hard seed coat, then soak the seeds in warm water for a day. The seeds should be sown in loose soil, and after sowing keep the soil moist. If a temperature of 22-25 degrees can be maintained, they will germinate in about a week. Seedlings can flower in the same year. However, flower color and flower form often vary, and it takes several years to select superior individual plants with stable flower characteristics from among the seedling plants.
Cultivation and Care of Canna
Full variety name: Canna. The variety is also called: Cannasp. Key themes: canna, flowering plant, flower bed plant.Variety Introduction
[Biological Characteristics] A perennial herb of the family Cannaceae, with thick fleshy rhizomes underground. The underground stem is upright and unbranched. The leaves are alternate, with broad leaf blades and sheath-like petioles. The inflorescence is a monochasial cyme, and the involucral bracts are broad and leaf-like. Both the pistil and the stamens are petaloid; the petaloid lip of one stamen usually curls downward and is called the labellum. The capsule is spherical, and the seeds are blackish-brown. The flowering period is in summer and autumn. [Habits] Native to the Americas. It likes a warm, hot and sunny environment and has a certain degree of cold tolerance; in northern regions the aboveground parts wither in winter. It requires thick, well-drained soil, and also tolerates poor soil and short-term waterlogging.
[Types] Canna (C. indica) grows about 12 m tall, with green stems and leaves; the leaves are oblong-elliptical, 10-30 cm long and 5-15 cm wide; the inflorescence is small and sparse, usually with 2 small flowers; the petaloid segments are narrow and upright, bright red, and the labellum is orange-yellow with red spots. Purple-leaved canna (C. warscewiczii) grows about 1 m tall; the stems and leaves are purple-brown, the involucre is brown, the calyx and petals are purplish-red, the petaloid segments are deep purplish-red, and the labellum is bright red. Large-flowered canna (C. generalis) is an improved type of canna, growing 15 m tall; the stems and leaves are covered with white powder; the leaves are large, broadly elliptical, about 40 cm long and about 20 cm wide; the peduncle is long and the small flowers are large and rich in color; the calyx and petals are covered with white powder, and the petaloid segments are upright and not curved. Italian canna (C. orchioides) was improved from multiple species and varieties; it grows about 1 m tall, with green or bronze leaves; the inflorescence is solitary and upright, and the small flowers are large and rich in color, with a tubular base and broad, soft petaloid segments.
[Propagation and Cultivation] It is mostly propagated by division and can also be grown from seed. Cut the rhizomes into several parts and plant them separately, taking care that each part must retain 2-3 buds. Seed propagation is mostly used for breeding; because the seed coat is hard, pretreatment should be carried out before sowing; maintain the temperature at 25°C, and germination takes about 2-3 weeks. Generally cultivate in spring (for May Day flowers, plant earlier in a greenhouse); the covering depth should be about 10 cm. A mix of 1 part peat soil, 1 part coarse sand and 1 part garden soil can be used, with sufficient base fertilizer added. During the growing period, apply topdressing once every 10 days and keep the substrate moist. After the aboveground parts wither in autumn, the rhizomes can be dug out and kept in a cool environment, or left in the pot.